Welsh rugby needs a new goal

Evan Wall

My hope for meaningful change to the governance of Welsh rugby has all but disappeared. My faith in the current leadership of the WRU has disintegrated. It’s quite clear now that the leadership of the WRU is not going to do anything radical (even if they use this word) or change the future structure to anything other than a smaller-scale version of what we already have.

However, in lamenting the current situation, I have thought of a solution that may perhaps represent a middle ground between those who believe regional rugby is the way forward (those in charge) and those of us who believe prioritising the domestic game in Wales should be a higher priority.

With the potential dropping of one regional team in Wales (most likely the Ospreys at this stage), more funding will be available for the clubs in the Super Rygbi Cymru. However, significantly, there will also be one less Welsh club place for European competitions.

Yet, rather than one less place for Wales, there could be an introduction of a system where the winner of the Super Rygbi Cymru gains a place in the European Challenge Cup.

I believe a place in the Champions Cup would currently be a step too far; the gulf in standard and quality is far too great. But a top Welsh domestic team familiar with winning and high on confidence would most definitely hold their own and compete reasonably well in the European Challenge cup. Undoubtedly, the prospect of European rugby for traditional Welsh clubs would draw new record crowds for them. From a business perspective too, this would be a very desirable situation.

As things stand, the Super Rygbi Cymru still faces its current problem that it is a league with nothing at stake. With no real competition, players aren’t going to significantly improve because it is competition that drives a rise in standard — especially when we desire players of world-class standard.

Additionally, without anything meaningful to play for, there is very little to fascinate and draw fans into the grounds. Especially in the context of “elite rugby” (a debatable term for our regions) being available with the regions in the same geographical areas. As it stands, there is very little incentive for players or fans in Wales’ domestic rugby structure. But the proposition of a European spot for these clubs could signify a turning tide.

The swapping of the 4th European Welsh place from the 4th region to the winner of the Super Rygbi Cymru would change everything. Every player in the Super Rygbi Cymru would be completely driven to fight tooth and nail for their club, knowing that success in the domestic league would lead them to play European rugby.

Whether it would be Pontypool, Carmarthen, Llandovery, Ebbw Vale, or Cardiff, players would be chewing at the bit to play for these clubs and grounds would be sold out on European nights.

For the domestic league itself, for fans in the West, it would perhaps be a thousand times more exciting to follow clubs such as Llandovery or Carmarthen, knowing that success in the domestic league could lead to their local teams playing on a European scale. It would boost every measurable demographic that is available for the Super Rygbi Cymru. It can only be a good thing; a rare instance of low-risk high-reward change in Welsh rugby.

This would be a small but almost revolutionary change for the domestic game in Wales. Finally, it would provide a chance for Welsh clubs to break free from the WRU-built cage within which they currently live. It would allow clubs like Llandovery, Newport, and Pontypridd to finally compete with the regions and play matches with teams from outside of Wales.

It would be such a small change for those who are governing the game, yet it could also plug the void left by the dismantling of a region. If the WRU’s top dogs can’t see the good in this, or if they do not possess the ability to administer such a change, then there truly is no hope for Welsh rugby.